living an alternative lifestyle

Ilya Repin. A Fisher-Girl. 1874. Oil on canvas. The Irkutsk Art Museum, Irkutsk, Russia.

Romans 12:9-21

For Sunday, August 28, 2011

Romans 12:9-21 is not the way the world lives. The world lives by the world's rules which might be summarized like this:

• Look out for #1
• Enhance your own standing
• Leverage personal power

This passage, which lays out imperatives in view of the indicatives of the gospel of grace, suggests an alternative lifestyle:

• Cultivate love
• Extend love
• Watch the world be redeemed

Firstly, in this alternative lifestyle we cultivate love. Verses 9-13 speak about cultivating love in our own thinking. Rather than looking out for #1 we're supposed to look out for #'s 2 thru 12 and beyond. Cultivating love means a sincere commitment to hating evil, devoting ourselves to one another, and practicing hospitality. When we first moved to Russia, the fact that people could show up at our door unannounced at any time of day or night and expect hospitality was . . .  difficult. Yet once we let go of control, and let love flow, it was actually great fun. As the Doobie Brothers put it, "Love the ones you're with."

Secondly, in this alternative lifestyle we also extend love to others (vv. 14-16). We extend love by blessing those who persecute us, empathizing with both the happy and sad around us, and by looking down the pecking order rather than up. It's liberating and empowering, as I can attest from my albeit woefully inadequate experience.

Lastly, in this alternative lifestyle we watch love redeem the world (vv. 17-21). Suddenly, there are fewer eye for an eye kerfuffles; self awareness break out all over place; and enemies are killed with kindness.

That the world will be redeemed is made certain by the gospel of which this passage is a part. The only question is this: will we be counted among those who have been overcome, or among those who overcome? Let us not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

authentic life in view of God's mercy

Pax, Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1285 - 1348)
Palazzo Publico, Siena, Italy

Rom 12:9-21
For Sunday August 31, 2008
Proper 17

This passage is not just about what it means to live authentically as a Christian, but rather what it means to do this in view of God's mercy (Rom. 12:1). One of the most important things for Christian preachers and teachers to do is to connect the what with the why. As my former pastor Stuart Briscoe likes to say, preach the imperatives in light of the indicatives. It's one thing to proclaim "overcome evil with good". It's something else entirely to say "in view of God's mercy overcome evil with good."

God's mercy is in our constant view in the images of the cross, the empty tomb, and the risen Christ. Every time we make some small decision which overcomes evil with good, we are merely validating what Christ has already accomplished.

If you are having a bad day, if you are suffering from evil, or don't have the oomph to overcome evil with good, remember this: it's already been accomplished. We are going to win this thing called life, and in this we have every right and reason to rejoice.


Georgia update: The U.S. has cancelled plans to dock the Coast Guard cutter Dallas in the Georgian port city of Poti, which continues to be occupied by the Russians, despite the fact that it is in neither breakaway region of Abkhazia or South Ossetia.

The Europeans are complaining that the Russians have claimed these two territories in violation of international law. Unfortunately, international law is something of a dubious concept. If these two regions truly want to be part of Russia rather than Georgia, then why not let them? This would be parallel to Kosovo wanting to secede from Serbia. (For that matter, if I were the Russians, I would let the Chechens go too).

However, don't let Russia use these breakaway regions as a pretext to bring down the government of an emerging democracy, which is what its ongoing occupation of Poti signals. The U.S. currently has seven Navy ships in the Black Sea. I would like to see all seven of those ships docking in Poti today with the 82nd Airborne on standby backed by a contingent twice as large from the European Nato countries. The Caucuses and all of Eastern Europe deserve better than rule by a retreaded KGB. I would also like to see Russia formally kicked out of the G8, and the U.S. suspend it's NATO membership until the Western Europeans decide what's more important to them: Russian gas or the legacy of freedom.

a consecrated life

Romans 12:1-8
For Sunday, August 24, 2008
Proper 16

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship" (Rom 12:1). In other words, given the mercy of God extended to us in being included among God's chosen people, let us live lives consecrated to him. To be consecrated means to be dedicated to something. As Michael Phelps has consecrated himself to swimming so are we to consecrate ourselves to our spiritual calling. Our lives are to be living cathedrals to God's grace and glory. What does this mean in practice?

First, it means that rather than being conformed to the pattern of this world, we will be transformed by the renewing of our mind (v. 2). Turn off the TV - make time for prayer, journaling, and Bible study. As a result we'll begin to understand God's will for our lives (v. 3).

Second, it means making a sober assessment of one's gifts (v. 4). How can my gifts best function within the body of Christ? Am I someone who can discern God's mind and direction in human affairs - then focus on this (v. 6). Am I someone who excels in serving to meet practical needs - then focus on this. Am I someone who excels in teaching? Encouraging? Providing financial support? Leadership? Engaging in a ministry of mercy? Then focus on this one thing.

One of my personal applications is to stay committed to writing this blog. My prayer is that this blog would serve the body of Christ by providing a ministry of teaching that will shape and spur myself and others to live out the gospel in all of life. I think the church is in need of a deeper and richer understanding of the gospel and that this ministry of writing is one way to promote this.

What about you? What need does the church and/or the world have that you are uniquely positioned to meet? Take the next step and watch your life transform before your eyes.